DPRK, S Korea start talks at Panmunjom in demilitarised zone

June 09, 2013, 6:38 UTC+3The successful start of these negotiations can be considered a major breakthrough in inter-Korean relations

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SEOUL, June 9 (Itar-Tass) - Representatives of North Korea and South Korea on Sunday have launched working talks aimed at discussing possible ways to normalise relations between the two countries. The bilateral meeting is held at the Panmunjom border checkpoint in the demilitarised zone, where the armistice agreement that ended the Korean War was signed.

The successful start of these negotiations can be considered a major breakthrough in inter-Korean relations. On June 7, North Korea opened the communication channel with South Korea in Panmunjom in order to agree on the time and place of the bilateral meeting. The line was closed by Pyongyang this March in response to large-scale US-South Korean manoeuvres.

The decision of the DPRK and South Korea to resume working contacts in the interests of normalising relations has been welcomed by many countries, including Russia and China.